The 2001 movie Shrek is something of a cultural touchstone for many. Though fairy tales have been endlessly subverted, there’s something about this animated movie that has made it a cultural classic, the parody somehow becoming as important and as significant as the stories it seeks to parody.
Turnabout is a fair play, of course, and Swamplesque is a parody that reminds one of Shrek without necessarily intruding too far into an established intellectual property. Fairytales, trolls, dragons, and even donkeys belong to us all, of course.
Swamplesque is, as the name implies, a burlesque show, but one that focuses on a variety of human body types. This means that there is something here for pretty much everyone. Every performer here is glorious, and this is a decidedly adult show. Nudity is built into the performance from the get-go. And it’s a very, very rude show.
What’s refreshing here is how diverse and different the performers on the stage are; these are realistic-looking people. They are all incredibly healthy and lovely to watch; they do dance on stage every night, after all. Big, small, skinny, fat, all are on display. This refreshing change makes for a rather memorable experience. The dance is incredible and the ideas are fresh; the man in the mirror is, for example, a roller skating diva.
The vocal talents are very strong as well, adding to this glorious celebration of song, dance, fire, glitter and skin.
Shrek and the works it’s inspired by are skewered brilliantly throughout. It’s fair to say this is an obvious parody. All that said, you’ll never believe exactly what they do with the poor gingerbread man’s gum drop buttons.
This is a late-night show to drink, eat and be merry at. Clap your hands and stomp your feet in the glorious silliness of it all; this is the Edinburgh Fringe at its peak. Wonderful Fun.
Book Edinburgh Fringe tickets here, find future tour information here.
